Nikki Sixx has been rocking since his teens in the 70s, racking up a pile of hits with Motley Crue in the 80s. In his spare time during the last two decades, he's worked with many other artists and helmed numerous side projects, including 58 in 2000 and Brides of Destruction with Tracii Guns of L.A. Guns in 2002. In 2006, he formed yet another side project called Sixx: A.M., which has now released five studio albums and counting. Sixx A.M. is a modern hard rock band that stands strong among their contemporaries, combining Sixx's sense for arena-ready hooks with crushing guitars and thunderous percussion. I honestly have no idea why they haven't stormed up the charts. "You Have Come To The Right Place" is just one highlight of many in their growing catalogue. It comes from their 2016 album, "Prayers For The Damned."
Memphis hard rock and sometimes rap band Saliva formed in 1996 and was making waves by 2001 when their track "Your Disease" started to make inroads at radio. Their first chart appearance came in 2003 when "Always" hit #51. They'd see chart action just one more time when the stellar ballad written by Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue, Sixx A.M.), "Rest In Pieces," peaked at #93 - it deserved so much better! Despite a bevy of fist-pumping anthems about rock and roll, stardom, Southern girls, and being a badass, the band has yet to get back on the charts. Lead singer Josey Scott left by 2012, but the band carried on with Bobby Amaru as his replacement. Within the extensive catalog by the band, there are plenty of moments when they steer into more radio-friendly and melodic territory. Such is the case with "Twister," an infectious song from their 2007 record, "Blood Stained Love Story."
Despite their familiarity and string of hits in the 80s, Motley Crue has not achieved as much chart success as you may think. They've only had two showings in the top 10, both from their smash album, "Dr. Feelgood," from 1989. The title track gave the band their biggest hit, landing at #6, while the sappy ballad "Without You" peaked at #8. Much better tunes like "Kickstart My Heart," "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" (my personal favorite), and "Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)" reached #27, #19, and #78, respectively. Honestly, at this time, virtually any band with a huge supply of Aqua-Net and lyrics that denigrated women could land themselves a top 10 hit. Motley Crue was practicing for this moment since they first appeared on the chart in 1984 when "Looks That Kill" climbed to #54. "Dr. Feelgood" was a hard-earned accomplishment that they sadly could not sustain. After a re-recording of "Home Sweet Home" (the band's greatest ballad) reached #37 in 1991, the band has yet to get back on the chart. Of course, Vince Neil leaving the band in 1992 didn't help. Replacement singer John Corabi failed to connect with fans, and the band lost too much of their momentum for a comeback after Neil rejoined them in 1997. In addition to their time in the Crue, several members have had notable side projects. Neil achieved short-lived success as a solo artist, bassist Nikki Sixx formed Sixx A.M., and drummer Tommy Lee even stepped up to the mic for some solo work. "On With The Show" goes back to the band's first album, a raw and in-your-face effort that sounds more like demo compared to their high-gloss cock rock that would follow. With this underrated tune, you can hear the smart sense of melody poking its head above the noise, an instinct that would eventually lead the band to their most beloved hits. If you're looking for something more recent, I'd recommend you check out "Kiss The Sky" from the 1997 "Generation Swine" record.
